


As Easy As Breathing

by raidelle



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fleurentia, Fleurentia Mini Bang (Final Fantasy XV), Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Pining Ignis, Romance, background Lunyx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29833764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raidelle/pseuds/raidelle
Summary: Ravus, CEO of Nox Fleuret Industries, is coming home after not having been back for years to attend the wedding of his sister Lunafreya to her long-time sweetheart. Luna advises Ravus to bring a date, “Unless you want Mother to foist her friends’ sons and daughters on you for the entire weekend.”At a loss on who to bring, Ravus asks Ignis, his assistant for as long as he’d been CEO and even before then, to go with him for a weekend in Tenebrae. Will new love bloom among the sylleblossoms?
Relationships: Ravus Nox Fleuret/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	As Easy As Breathing

**Author's Note:**

> This is supposed to be part of a Fleurentia Mini Bang last year but 2020 has been a bitch and things didn't pan out as planned. Here's the result of my efforts.
> 
> My partner for this one is [Miri](https://twitter.com/mirisprouts) who so generously created two, yes TWO, wonderful pieces of art. I'll figure out how to include the art here but please do check out their Twitter for the art upload. ^^
> 
> Also, the song is "When the Right One Comes Along" by Clare Bowen (which I also used for another fic in another fandom). I just have a special spot for it in my heart!
> 
> Anyways, that's about it. I hope you enjoy reading! :)

“Ravus!” Luna cries happily, waving her hands enthusiastically from just beyond the arrival gates.

Ravus couldn’t help the small smile that blooms on his lips. He waves back, less enthusiastically but no less heartfelt. He almost feels terrible that he doesn’t miss Tenebrae as much as he’s expected to, after not having been back since he left at eighteen, but he does miss his sister quite a lot.

“Your mother doesn’t seem… quite as enthused to see me,” Ignis murmurs beside him.

Ravus throws a careless look over his shoulder as they amble past, passing through the last turnstiles to get to the waiting area. “Don’t worry about it,” Ravus says firmly. “You’re with me.”

Ignis nods. “Of course.”

“Here,” Ravus says, reaching for Ignis’s hand to interlock their fingers. “Is this all right?”

“Oh.”

“Or would you prefer it this way?” Ravus closes his hand on Ignis’s wrist instead, pressing their forearms together.

“Right,” Ignis almost whispers, but Ravus hears him clearly. “This is better, I think.”

“Hmm,” he nods in response, satisfied.

He holds Ignis’s wrist a little tighter as they near their welcoming party. Luna and her fiance Nyx are in a loose embrace, his arm hanging over her shoulder and their hands interlocked. Sylva, meanwhile, has her hands clasped in front of her. Her face is impassive, but Ravus knows his mother is trying very hard not to react negatively.

“Ravus!” Luna cries again as they draw closer. Unable to wait, she lets go of Nyx’s hold and throws herself into Ravus’s arms for a hug. “I’ve missed you so much. Please don’t take fourteen years to visit again!”

Ravus catches her one-armed, refusing to let go of Ignis. “Hello, Luna,” he replies. “You’re as beautiful as ever.”

Luna pinches his cheeks. “Aww, aren’t you cute?” she says. Ignis tries to hide a laugh behind his other hand, but Luna notices anyway. “Hello,” she greets, polite but still warm. “You must be Ignis. Ravus has told me so _much_ about you.”

Ignis raises his eyebrows at that and Ravus thinks he sees the faintest hints of a blush. “Oh? All good things, I hope.”

“Mm,” Luna hums. “All _very good_ things,” she says teasingly, punctuating her tone with a wink.

“Lunafreya, please don’t embarrass him.”

“Don’t you ‘Lunafreya’ me,” Luna chides, though her tone is cheerful.

As they draw closer, Luna pulls away from them and tugs Nyx forward. “Ravus, Ignis, this is my fiance, Nyx Ulric.”

“Hey, Ignis,” Nyx says, offering his hand to shake.

“Hello, Nyx,” Ignis responds with his usual gallantry. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ravus nods to echo the greeting. He notices his mother’s gaze, trained every so subtly on the way he’s holding Ignis’s wrist, and opts to extend his left hand to Nyx instead of letting go.

Nyx grins in apparent solidarity and genially takes the proffered hand with both of his. He gives it one firm, strong shake and lets go. “Good to meet you, Ravus,” he says, eyes serious and kind.

“You, too.”

Luna eyes them critically, decides that she approves of the interaction, and then leads him and Ignis to their mother. “Ignis, this is our mother, Sylva.”

“Good afternoon, ma’am.”

“You’re my son’s assistant?”

Ignis looks taken aback for a split-second before he recovers with a polite, “Yes, I am.”

“Mother!” Luna complains.

“The company would likely have collapsed years ago if I didn’t have Ignis,” Ravus says, his hand tightening further around Ignis’s wrist.

“Ravus, that’s not—” Ignis starts, but Ravus cuts him off.

“It’s true,” he says. He’s looking at Ignis with determined, sincere eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” This time, Ignis’s blush is pinker across his nose and cheeks.

“Hmm,” Sylva hums, somehow managing to make the sound regal.

Luna shakes her head with an exasperated smile and she goes to link arms with Nyx. She then hooks her other arm around Sylva’s and leads their party out of the airport.

As soon as the three are out of earshot, Ignis turns to Ravus. “Please don’t antagonize your mother for my sake,” he pleads.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ravus says. He still hasn’t let go of Ignis’s wrist.

Ignis sighs. “Please, Ravus. It would make our stay at Fenestala even more awkward than I’m sure it would already be.”

“Ignis,” Ravus says. “Let me deal with Mother, all right?”

“I’m not sure I want to know how you’re going to ‘deal’ with her.”

Ravus huffs a laugh. “Don’t worry about it. You’re with me.”  


* * *

* * *

  


**_TWO MONTHS AGO_ **

Ravus arrived in his office late in the afternoon after a grueling business meeting and presentation. The client didn’t seem to know what they wanted to achieve, which led to circular discussions, which led to flaring tempers, which led to even more circular (and heated) discussions. By the time it ended, Ravus had a pulsing headache.

“Bad meeting?” Ignis asked as he trailed after Ravus into his office.

“I think every Gralea Tech meeting is a bad meeting,” Ravus grumbled.

Ignis smiled, “I”m inclined to agree. Anyway, this arrived just a few minutes ago. It’s from Miss Lunafreya.” He handed a square cream-colored envelope gilded with gold and metallic blue to Ravus.

He already knew what it was, but Ravus was still surprised to see it documented on card stock and flowing script. His little sister is getting married. He smiled almost involuntarily.

“Will you be going, sir?” Ignis asked. 

“She asked me to present her to her husband-to-be.” Ravus waved a little piece of paper at Ignis. It was a note from Lunafreya, signed both by her and her fiance Nyx Ulric. He’d been expecting it, of course, but it still came as a bit of a surprise to see it in Luna’s dainty handwriting.

She had just turned thirteen, head full of teenage romantic dreams, when their father had died. Ravus had been eighteen then, and he’d held his sister in his arms as she sobbed. “You’ll be there to walk me down the aisle when I get married, right?”

Ravus had promised her, then and there.

“Ah,” Ignis said and it broke through Ravus’ maudlin yet fond reminiscences. “Should I send your confirmation through email, then? Or does Miss Lunafreya expect a mailed-in response?”

“I’ll give her a call, Ignis,” Ravus said. He placed the note and the card back in the envelope, then placed it inside the top drawer of his desk.

Then he sighed and gestured at the small stack of folders in Ignis’s hands, “Are those for me?”

“Oh,” Ignis said. His eyebrows drew together in confusion for a split-second before he recovered. “Yes, sir. The first two on top are urgent and the rest can wait until Tuesday.”

“All right,” Ravus nodded. He held out his hand and Ignis dutifully handed over the folders. The pinched look was back on his face and Ravus was confused. What did he do this time?

He didn’t have long to wonder. Seconds after Ignis settled back down at his own desk, Ravus’s phone and laptop pinged with a notification.

_Call Lunafreya and confirm wedding attendance._

Ravus laughed to himself. It was a repeating reminder, scheduled at seven in the evening every two days until he tapped the “Done” button that would send Ignis an automated confirmation that he had, indeed, called his sister.

He dialed Luna that night, arranged an appointment with his tailor (which he synced with his and Ignis’s shared calendar), and bought round-trip tickets to Altissia and a stay at the honeymoon suite at the Grand Leville for a wedding gift.

When he pressed the green “Done” button, Ravus was surprised to find himself smiling.  


* * *

* * *

  
Morning dawns bright at Fenestala Manor, sunlight streaming in through the windows of Ravus’s room in thick, warm beams. He wants to luxuriate in the soft sheets and even softer bed (he rarely gets the time to do so back in Insomnia) but breakfast here has always been at seven on the dot. Ravus doesn’t want to draw his mother’s displeasure further by being late, and especially not to direct it at Ignis, so he forces himself to get up and shower.

In the end, it takes him fifteen minutes to get ready. He opts for dark wash jeans, a heather gray button up, and a pair of soft suede loafers. It’s as casual as he can get without their mother complaining about being too informal.

“Ignis, may I come in?” he calls as he knocks on the door connecting their rooms. These used to be his and Luna’s, back when they were little and Luna had been terrified of sleeping alone. He supposes it’s fortunate that Sylva is a sentimental (if stern) woman and kept these rooms in pristine condition. Ignis would have fussed and insisted on sleeping on a couch if they’d been sequestered in the guest wing on the other side of the manor.

“It’s unlocked,” Ignis tells him, his voice coming out muffled from behind the door.

Ravus opens the door and strolls in, unsurprised that Ignis is already dressed: white pinstriped button-up, black tailored pants, and black loafers. His hair is down, however, tousled yet elegant, different yet similar to his usual pompadour.

“Good morning,” Ravus says, then adds because he feels he ought to say something, “You look nice.”

“Thank you,” Ignis says. Then, after a beat, he says, “What’s the plan for today?”

“Just breakfast with Mother, Luna, and Nyx. We have the rest of the day free, and then the rehearsal dinner is at seven.”

Ignis nods, a tiny crease forming between his eyebrows. “Of course,” he says. “But what I meant was, er… our charade.”

“Ah, of course,” Ravus nods back, “I’ll take the lead. We’ll keep it simple, all right? I know Mother and she’ll be watching us like a hawk.”

“All right.”

“Ignis, please don’t worry about anything. Even just for the weekend. Relax and let me do all the thinking and fretting for you this time, all right?”

“You do know I can’t just turn off my brain, don’t you?”

Ravus huffs and shakes his head. If there’s anything that could be considered “bad” about Ignis, Ravus muses as they walk to the manor’s formal dining room, it’s that he constantly overthinks. It’s saved his ass more times than he can count, but Ravus also sometimes despairs that Ignis devotes all of his time to work. To Ravus.

“Please try,” he bargains instead. When Ignis looks like he’s about to argue, Ravus plays his ace although he feels unfair doing it. “For me.”

Ignis stops in his tracks for a split-second. He blinks, his mouth open ever so slightly, before he manages a nod.

Ravus smiles, then. “Shall we?” he says and he reaches for Ignis’s hand.

“Certainly.”

They walk into the dining room side by side, earning a blooming smile from Luna, a delighted grin from Nyx, and a critical look from Sylva.

“Good morning,” Sylva says, voice frosty in front of her steaming cup of tea.

“Good morning, Mother,” Ravus responds in a slightly less icy tone. “Good morning, Luna,” he says and drops a kiss on top of her head. “Good morning, Nyx.”

“Good morning, Ravus. Good morning, Ignis,” Luna greets them, warm and bright, the complete opposite of Sylva. “I hope you slept well.”

“Well enough, thank you,” Ignis says, polite as ever.

“And you, Ravus?”

“Like a Tenebraean bear in hibernation.” He pulls out a seat for Ignis beside Nyx, waits until Ignis is settled ( _Why does he look so surprised,_ Ravus muses), before sitting on the opposite head of the table. “I would’ve slept through my alarm if Ignis didn’t wake me up.”

“I —” Ignis starts, but Ravus stops him with a wink. “Well, I’m used to it,” he says instead.

“Playing my son’s keeper?” Sylva’s eyes peer at them from the lip of her teacup as she takes a dainty drink.

Luna sighs and Nyx’s eyes widen. Ignis stays quiet, his hands balled into fists in his lap. Ravus reaches over and wraps a hand around one of Ignis’s, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles, hoping to soothe. “No, Mother. Ignis isn’t my keeper but he does take care of me. More than I deserve,” Ravus responds, calm and sure.

“You _can_ be like an angry bear, Ravus, but I’m sure Ignis thinks you’re worth every effort,” Luna smiles at them.

“I do,” Ignis tells her.

“Aww, that’s sweet!” Nyx comments. He’s all too cheerful, early as it is, but he sounds sincere. “I swear you’re just like my parents. ‘Sweet like honey,’ my gran used to say.”

“Thank you, I think,” Ignis says. He’s blushing, just a slight pinkening of his cheeks, which Ravus finds endearing. It’s odd, he thinks. He’s seen Ignis blush before, but he’s never had this kind of reaction to it.

Ravus deals with his confusion by piling pastries onto two plates. “Here,” he says, pushing the dishes towards Ignis.

“This is too much, Ravus. You’re going to make me fat,” Ignis tells him, but he eyes the plates with interest.

“Hmm. I’ll love you just the same,” Ravus replies, almost absentmindedly. Ignis blushes again as Luna coos and Nyx grins at the two of them.

Ravus elects to ignore the spouses-to-be and asks, “Would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please.” Ignis smiles at him and Ravus returns it.

Sylva sniffs imperiously and drinks her tea.  


* * *

* * *

  


**_ONE MONTH AGO_ **

“You _are_ bringing someone, aren’t you?”

“Do I have to?”

“Unless you want Mother foisting her friends’ sons and daughters on you for the entire weekend, then yes, you do,” Luna warned, her tone severe.

Ravus pinched his nose in consternation. Of course, Sylva would turn this into a match-making opportunity. She’d been wheedling him to settle down for years; she was happy for her daughter, of course, but she had also lamented that Luna was getting married ahead of “the scion of the Nox Fleurets.”

“All right, then.”

“You could invite, hmm, what’s her name again?” Luna’s voice sounded thoughtful from the other end of the line. “Your scientist friend who went with you to that fundraiser for the Biological Society of Lucis?”

“Oh, Sanya? I’m not getting my hopes up. She’s having the time of her life researching frogs in the Alstor Slough.”

“That’s a pity.”

“Mm. Don’t worry about me, Lu.”

“I just want to spare you from Mother’s meddling in your love life, however well-meaning it might be.”

“I’ll find someone, all right? I’ll ask Ignis.”

“You know what? That’s a great idea!” Luna said.

Ravus barely contained his splutter. “I meant that I was going to ask Ignis if he can help me find someone.”

“Oh.” Ravus could hear how the enthusiasm drained from her sister. “Well, I’m sure Ignis will get things sorted out for you. He’s the best,” she said, recovering some of her spark.

“Mm, yes. Now I really do have to go, Luna. I have a meeting—”

“Another one?” Luna grumbled.

“Unfortunately, yes. With Iedolas Aldercapt.”

“Ew.”

Ravus laughed. “He’s a shrewd businessman, Lu. A good business partner, even if he’s a little… eccentric,” he said.

“He’s creepy!” she complained, clearly remembering all the times she’d attended a gala or a business party and had had to dance or make small talk with the man. “Such an odd sense of humor, too.”

Ravus snorted at that, and then said, “I’ll see you soon, Luna. Take care.”

“I love you, too, Ravus.”

Ravus put down the phone with a smile, which quickly faded when he remembered what it was about in the first place. He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

“Sir, your meeting with Mr. Aldercapt is in ten— oh. Is something wrong, sir?” Ignis looked at him in concern.

“I need a date for Luna’s wedding,” he responded. It’s no use trying to pretend with Ignis.

“Ah, of course. Would you like me to call Miss Highwind?”

Aranea was one of Ravus’s business partners, perpetually single, and Ravus’s usual date for industry events. She was also very highly opposed to going to weddings, which she thought were highly performative.

“She doesn’t like going to weddings,” Ravus explained.

“Do you need or want someone in particular?”

“I need… someone who can stop my mother from setting me up with an eligible bachelor or bachelorette for the weekend.”

“Right.” Ignis’s eyebrows were already pinched in a way that told Ravus he was already lining up options in his head. “Would a woman be more convincing for her?”

“Beg pardon?”

“Would bringing a woman as your date be more convincing for your mother? I suppose it should look like you’re in a, well… serious relationship for her to back off, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, do you think bringing a woman as your date would better show your… commitment?”

“Huh,” was all Ravus could say. He honestly hadn’t thought of that. He’d never brought someone home before, considering he’d only been back to Tenebrae twice in the past fourteen years. This would be the very first time he’d be bringing a paramour, as it were, to meet his family. He didn’t know what his mother was expecting, but perhaps…

“I think I’d rather introduce a boyfriend,” he finally said. It felt weird. He’d never been in a relationship before and the word feels somewhat odd on his tongue.

“Oh,” Ignis blinked at him. “May I ask why?”

“Mother would probably talk about future plans then and there. Marriage and children, things like that. I wouldn’t want to put anyone on the spot. Mother can be quite…” he paused for a second, looking for the right word. “Intense.”

“Anyone you bring will be put on the spot, anyway.”

“You’re right,” Ravus conceded with a sigh.

“I’ll find someone for you, sir, don’t worry,” Ignis reassured. “In the meantime, the tech team is already gathered in meeting room B and waiting for you. The presentation notes are in this folder. I’ve annotated the pages with your comments. I also put in the tech team’s most important notes. Yours are in blue and theirs are green. Do you need me to stall Mr. Aldercapt for a little more time to prepare?”

Ravus looked, really looked, at Ignis as he spoke. He studied the man before him, perhaps much more intensely than the situation warranted. Realization washed over him then, as if someone had poured ice-cold water on him and he was suddenly, alarmingly awake. “No need,” he finally said.

“No need to look for a plus one, sir?” Ignis asked to clarify. “Or no need to stall for time?”

Ravus smiled. “Both. Thank you, Ignis. You’re the best.”

“Oh. Thank you, sir.”

“Clear our schedules from May 23 to 25, would you?”

Ignis blinked. “Sir? But the twenty-fifth is —”

“Lunafreya’s wedding, yes. And you’re coming with me.”  


* * *

* * *

  
“Ignis?”

The morning of Luna and Nyx’s wedding dawns bright and clear. The forecast predicts a perfect Tenebraean summer day, well into the afternoon and night, and Ravus sends a quick thanks to the Six. It’s his little sister’s wedding day and it has to be perfect.

“Ignis?” he calls again with a little knock to the connecting door.

It swings open to reveal a rather disheveled Ignis, still in his pajamas and his hair slightly mussed. “What’s wrong?” he asks around a yawn and rubs at his eyes behind his glasses.

Ravus blinks, blinks again, and then shakes his head. “Well, no, nothing’s wrong. I was just… I wanted to tell you I was heading off to the bridal suite. Mother’s quite insistent that I be there to ‘help,’ whatever that means, and pose for photographs.”

“Oh. Of course. Are you sure you don’t need me there?”

“I’ll be fine. Besides, you deserve a break. The Six know you’ve worked yourself to the bone my sake.”

“Ravus, that’s —”

“Please, Ignis. Just… go back to sleep or ask Irina to bring you some tea. Take a long bath. Drop by the private kitchen and bake.”

Ignis perks up at that and Ravus has to smile, “Just spend the morning as you please and I’ll see you at four thirty down at the orchards, alright?”

“Alright. I’ll be the one in dove grey.”

Ravus raises his eyebrows at that, surprised at the little quip but also quite flustered. It takes him a few seconds to figure out a response. He finally decides on, “I’ll be in purple.” Then he drops a kiss on Ignis’s hair before he runs out of courage.  
  
  
Ravus is tired. He’s posed for what felt like a million pictures, he’s accepted gifts on behalf of the couple, he’s run back and forth to entertain distant relatives who’d all wanted to glimpse the blushing bride. Even with Gentiana, Luna’s maid of honor, taking the lead on everything, Ravus is still surprised by how much work a wedding entails and he’s left overwhelmed.

By the time he and Luna are standing under the flower arch that marks the start of the makeshift aisle, Ravus is feeling the fingers of weariness creeping up his spine.

“Are you ready?” he asks his sister. She’s resplendent in her wedding dress, the flowers in her hair making her blue eyes even bluer.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replies serenely as she hooks her hand around his arm.

“Let’s not do this again, please,” he says, half in jest and half in sincerity. “I can’t believe a wedding can be this exhausting.”

Luna’s tinkling laughter floats together with the opening notes of her bridal song.  
  
 _There’s no music, no confetti  
Crowds don’t cheer and  
Bells don’t ring_  
  
“Well, then, you can relax as soon as we finish walking down this aisle. I don’t plan on marrying anyone else but the love of my life right there.”

Her eyes are fixed on her groom, her smile bright and content, and Ravus believes her.  
  
 _But you’ll know it  
I can guarantee  
When the right one comes along_  
  
They walk at a serene pace as the singer croons. Luna glances to the side here and there to smile at a few guests but her eyes immediately return to Nyx. He’s smiling at them, waiting patiently, eyes glittering and shoulders shaking. The best man, Libertus, laughs and pats his friend’s back good-naturedly.  
  
 _What you’re thinking  
What you’re feeling  
You no longer have to guess_  
  
As they near the canopy, Ravus catches sight of Ignis. Like everybody else, he’s turned towards them, following their progress down the aisle. He’s looking at Luna—at him, too, Ravus tells himself—with a soft smile.

“But I do think we’ll be at another wedding soon enough,” Luna whispers to him with a pat to his hand.

“Hmm?”

Ignis is wearing dove grey, as promised, his hair back in its sleek-yet-tousled pompadour. The light of the afternoon sun bathes him in a glow that makes him look ethereal. Ravus had always thought Ignis was a handsome man, but here, now, surrounded by sylleblossoms and lit in golden sunshine, Ignis is heart-stoppingly beautiful.  
  
 _All those questions  
Are finally put to rest  
When the right one comes along._  
  
They reach the canopy to a chorus of sighs. Luna kisses his cheek and then their mother’s, before reaching for Nyx’s hand. Nyx is openly sobbing now, gazing at Luna with love and devotion.

Ravus walks back to his seat beside Ignis in the second row, behind their mother (whose tears stubbornly refuse to fall).

“Good job,” Ignis tells him in a whisper, “you looked very dignified there, and not overly emotional as I know you truly are deep inside.” He playfully pokes Ravus on the chest.

Ravus captures the offending hand and kisses the back of it. “You look breathtaking,” he says.

Ignis blinks and gapes up at Ravus. “Is this still —” he flicks a quick glance to Sylva.

But Ravus raises a finger to his lips, just as the minister announces, “The Six has blessed us today with fine weather and even finer company as we celebrate the love between Lunafreya Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae and Nyx Ulric of Galahd…”

Ravus doesn’t let go of Ignis’s hand, through the tear-filled vows and the exchange of rings, through the kiss, and through the procession of the newlyweds back down the aisle in a shower of rice grains and flower petals.

“It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn’t it?” Ignis says. He’s still looking at the white-draped canopy where Luna and Nyx had stood. Beyond it is a view of the setting sun, bathing everything in a warm golden glow.

“It was, yes,” Ravus agrees easily.

The crowd is slowly making its way to the nearby pavilion, built especially to host the reception. There’s already music coming from it, courtesy of the four-piece band that began playing as soon as the ceremony concluded. The sound is muffled by the distance, though, and the sounds of the summer night—cicadas, mockingbirds, and the rustle of the breeze through the stalks of sylleblossoms—are what enveloped Ravus and Ignis as they stood.

“Well,” Ignis clears his throat, “I suppose we should head on over to the pavilion.”

“Stay with me for a while longer?” Ravus still hasn’t let go of Ignis’s hand, and now he tightens his grip ever so slightly.

“Did something happen earlier?” Ignis asks, concern in his voice and face. “Has your mother gotten suspicious?”

“Nothing happened, Ignis,” Ravus says. “Except perhaps I’ve realized some things.”

“What things?”

“How much you’ve done for me all these years and how I’ve taken them, how I’ve taken _you_ for granted.”

“Ravus, you haven’t —”

“Ignis, please. Let me finish.”

Ignis nods. He looks down at their clasped hands and then back up at Ravus, quiet and intent.

“You’ve always been there for me. You’ve stayed by my side even when you received much more generous offers —”

“My loyalty can’t be bought, thank you,” Ignis sniffs.

Ravus laughs. “That’s what I’m talking about. You’ve… you’ve always been there. Always. For the company and for me. You believed in me when no one else did, you’ve been so steadfast in that. Even if I haven’t done anything to be worthy of it.”

“It’s never been about you being worthy, Ravus.”

“I know that now.”  
  
 _It’s so easy  
There’s nothing to it  
Though you may not believe me now_  
  
The balmy summer evening settles upon them. The moon is beginning its slow ascent in the sky, changing the light from gold to silver. The paper lanterns and fairy lights strung on the surrounding trees dance in the breeze, the light catching on Ignis’s hair.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Ravus, instead of answering, leads them back toward the aisle and up towards the canopy. “Dance with me,” he whispers. He brings Ignis’s hands up to drape on his shoulders and then wraps his own arms around Ignis in a comfortable embrace.

“Ravus. What are you doing?”

The music from the pavilion floats up to them now, still faint but recognizable. It’s a classic waltz, an age-old one that accompanies every Tenebraean newlyweds’ first dance.  
  
 _But I promise  
Honey, you’ll find out  
When the right one comes along_  
  
“What I’m doing is dancing with you,” Ravus says. They sway with the sylleblossoms and the lights, gentle and quiet.

“I can see that.”

“I’m also asking you to perhaps, maybe… consider going out with me. Dating me. For real, this time.”

“Ravus…”

Ignis leans forward and Ravus could feel the whisper of lips curving up into a smile against his chest.

“I thought you’d never ask.”  
  
 _And all that changes  
Is only everything  
When the right one comes along_  
  


**Author's Note:**

> You can holler at me on Twitter @raidelle3573!
> 
> Kudos and comments are very much welcome. I promise I reply to comments even if it takes a while sometimes. XD


End file.
